Your Guide to Playing Slots in your Browser Window
In the past you had to download a full software package to access online slots games online – or else put up with lag and crash-prone early versions of Flash. In 2014, things have come full circle. While you can still download software, the cutting edge casinos are transitioning away from this model and offering a better selection of games via browser technology.
Advances in both hardware and software have enabled this to happen. HTML5 and Flash are now both advanced technologies – unrecognizable from their early versions. At the same time networks are much faster and more stable than they once were.
This article covers the key considerations before playing no download slots. First of all, I have looked at how the casino software makers and casinos interact, explaining why you might see the same slots at several different casinos. After this you will find an overview of the type of slots games available to play in your browser. Finally, some of the important factors to look out for when choosing a casino to play no-download slots are considered.
No Download Slots – Software Creators and Online Casinos
Many players who are new to online casino games are confused when they find the same list of slots titles at several seemingly separate casinos. The answer lies in the relationship between the creators of the slots games and the casinos which license them.
With only a few exceptions, slots games are created by specialist software houses, which do not offer them directly to players. Big names in this part of the casino industry include PlayTech, MicroGaming and the US-friendly Real Time Gaming.
Casinos then come along and license the games from these software providers. In the past the usual format was to choose one provider, and offer games exclusively from them. With advances in in-browser technology, casinos are now picking the best slots from a number of providers – and are providing these in non-download format.
Flash is the most common platform by which these in-browser games are delivered. There were some issues for Apple product users. Apple discontinued support for Flash some years ago. Fortunately, there are now numerous 3rd party plug-ins which will allow you to play Flash games. Owners of Windows, Android or Blackberry devices should have no problem accessing no download slots at all.
Type of Slots in No-Download Format
Once the capability to play slots in your browser has been developed, this will usually works for the entire range of slots for a given casino. This means you’ll often be faced with a long list of games when you log on. The typical list of non-download slots will include games in the following broad categories:
Traditional Slots: This wide category includes everything with 3 reels. These games effectively mimic the old mechanical slots, and come in a wide variety of colorful themes.
Video Slots: The simplest versions of these games have 5 reels, and up to 30 win-lines. Instead of betting for just coins, you’ll bet a certain number of coins per line. The early versions of these games have their own themes (often attempts to be humorous) and bonus rounds which often include free spins.
Interactive Video Slots: I am separating the more modern video slot games. These are now as different from the original video slots as those games are from the traditional 3 reel games. The latest titles include games which feature 3D graphics, animated reels, interactive bonus rounds which play like mini-adventures and much more.
There are even more novel slots games online, though this covers the main categories. In addition to the types there is a distinction between slots which have jackpots and those which do not. Payouts for online jackpot slots can be huge, with 7-figure amounts common. Remember that, for the individual player, the jackpots increase variance. More coins get taken away from each spin to grow the jackpot, which means that there is less to return for the day-to-day wins.
No Download Slots for US Players
It is not illegal to enjoy online casinos from the US, however many of the leading service providers have pulled out of this country. This makes the choice of no download slots limited for US players, where there are just a handful of software providers willing to license their games to US friendly casinos.
The biggest software provider still offering slots games to casinos is called Real Time Gaming. They have been developing slots games for years and now offer a broad selection of their games in no-Download format.
While there are a lot of traditional and video slots to try out, the main attraction has to be the ‘Real Series’ games. These include randomly triggered progressive jackpots, which trigger independently of what shows up on the reels. A great way to enjoy no-download slots online.